Tomato-Eggplant Tortino
- 23 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, minced fresh
- 1 tablespoon basil leaves, minced fresh
- 1 tablespoon parsley, minced
- 1 lb eggplant (2 to 2 1/2 in. wide)
- 2 12 lbs tomatoes, multiple colors (2 to 2 1/2 in. wide)
- 34 lb mozzarella cheese, fresh (fresh cherve OK too )
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 34 cup balsamic vinegar
- fresh thyme sprig
- basil sprig
- parsley sprig
- Combine oil and minced thyme, basil, and parsley.
- Trim eggplant ends and discard.
- Rinse eggplant, cut into 24 equal rounds, and brush lightly with some of the herb oil.
- Rinse and core tomatoes, then trim thin slices off tops and bottoms.
- Cut yellow tomatoes into 24 equal rounds; cut red tomatoes into 12 equal rounds.
- Cut cheese into 12 equal rounds.
- Lay tomato slices in a 10- by 15-inch pan.
- Drizzle with herb oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Lightly oil a barbecue grill over a solid bed of medium-hot coals or medium-high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 3 to 4 seconds).
- Lay eggplant on grill; close lid on gas barbecue.
- Cook eggplant, turning once, until soft when pressed, 5 to 7 minutes total.
- Let cool.
- For each tortino, stack 1 slice each yellow tomato, eggplant, mozzarella, and red tomato, then top with 1 more slice each eggplant and yellow tomato.
- Set stacks on a platter.
- Reserve 2 teaspoons of pan juices from tomatoes; use remainder in other salads.
- In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, boil vinegar until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring as it nears the end of cooking.
- Mix the reserved tomato juices with vinegar and drizzle over tortinos.
- Garnish with thyme sprigs.
extra virgin olive oil, thyme, basil, parsley, eggplant, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, thyme, basil, parsley
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/tomato-eggplant-tortino-368009 (may not work)